Improvement in turbine water-wheels



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Letters Patent No. 90,8`26, dated .Tu-ile 1, 1869.

IMPROVEMENT IN TURBINE WATER-WHEELS.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of the same.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT DUNBAR, of the city of Buffalo, in the county of Erie, and State of New York, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Turbine lVater-VVheels; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making part of this specification.

My improvement relates to that class of turbinewheels in Which the water is fed horizont-ally to the wheel from the outside, through suitable chutes or passages in the curb, or case surrounding the wheel. These passages are provided with vertically-sliding gates, by which the area of the openings, and consequently the quantity of water admitted to the wheel, is regulated.'

As the Water flows through the apertures left beneath the ordinary gates, it has a tendency to rise or expand, as it escapes, in that portion of the chute Within the gate, which breaks up the uniformity and directness of the current, and consequently diminishes the force of the impact and action against the buckets.

My invention consists iu attaching, to the lower edge of thegates, a horizontal guide, projecting inward into the chut-e, and forming a continuation of the aperture left beneath the gate, whereby the water, in its passage to the wheel, is compelled to flow in a direct and unbroken mass till it impin'ges with its full force against the buckets.

In the drawings, before referred to- Figure I is a side elevation of the curb, or wheelcase.

Figure II is a horizontal section of the wheel and curb. K

Like letters of reference designate likeI parts in each of the figures.

A is ahorizontal turbine-wheel, and b, the buckets thereof, of any ordinary construction.

B is the curb, or-wheel-case, and

C O, chutes, opening tangentially on to thc wheel.

I) D are the vertically-sliding gates forr regulating the area of the chutes.

lil is an annular ring, above the curb, to which the gates are attached.

ff are my improved guides, made to conform with the horizontal sectional area of the chutes, and attached to the lower edge of the gates, so as to be iiush therewith.

Stay-rods g connect these guides with the ring E.

These guides, being thus attached to the gates, are adjusted with them, so that the passage beneath the guides will always conform in height to the mouth of the aperture left beneath the gate, and thereby form a uniform conduit to the buckets.

I am aware that guide-plates, attached to and operated by a movable curb, have been heretofore used. I therefore do not claim such guide-plates broadly; but

"What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by--Letters Patent, is-

The combination of the guides f with the gates D, rods g, and ring E, arranged and operating as described.

Witnessesz ROB'I. DUNBAR.

JN0. J Bosma, F. A. LANGWORTHY. 

